Caps confirm Ovechkin injury not serious

Arlington, VA (SportsNetwork.com) - Fans of the Washington Capitals can breathe a sigh of relief following Monday's news that Alex Ovechkin's injury sustained at the IIHF World Championship is not considered serious.

During Team Russia's preliminary-round game on Sunday, Germany's Marcus Kink caught Ovechkin in the right knee with a hip-check that sent the Russian star head-over-heels onto the ice.

Ovechkin remained face down for several minutes before being helped to the locker room without putting any weight on his right leg. He was reportedly transported to a hospital to determine the severity of the injury.

The Washington winger posted a picture of himself with a thumbs up and the caption "Everything is OK, congrats about the win to everybody" on his Instagram account Sunday night before the Capitals confirmed Monday that the injury was not as serious as first expected.

"Following our review of the available medical reports, Alex Ovechkin sustained a right leg injury during Team Russia's game versus Germany," the press release from the Capitals read. "This type of injury requires rest, but based on the current information provided, we are confident that Alex will be completely healthy prior to the start of training camp. We will continue to monitor his progress and request additional tests and medical information for our review."

The IIHF's official website reported Monday that Ovechkin underwent an MRI, which came back clear of any torn ligaments. He is expected to miss at least one game due to the injury, but will remain with the team in Belarus and could be back for the quarterfinals on Thursday.

"Sasha [Ovechkin] will definitely stay with the team," Team Russia general manager Andrei Safronov told reporters at Minsk Arena, according to the IIHF website. "Even if he couldn't play he'd still be here. He's not just a part of this team, he's a leader."

Ovechkin racked up three goals and six assists over six games in preliminary- round action prior to sustaining the injury.

Kink, meanwhile, was suspended for Germany's final game following a review of the hit on Monday.